Upper Arlington

Levy may not be such a good deal

Monday September 10, 2012 2:55 PM

To the editor:

In response to the UASD proposal of a 5.8-mill levy increase on the November 2012 ballot:

This levy would increase the taxes on an average UA homeowner by $534, a portion to cover ongoing operation and a portion dedicated to building and/or construction. To compare UA spending to other comparable districts, go to compareohioschools.org.

UA schools' administrative costs are 15.6 percent higher than the average of comparable districts, and have risen 9 percent in the past five years.

I also wonder why UA is 40 percent higher than the average comparable school districts. Based on the DPI (District Productivity Index), UA has considerable higher costs, yet is getting academic results at or about those of districts spending considerably less.

This doesn't sound like UA taxpayers are getting very good fiscal effectiveness and efficiency. Perhaps it is time to address the overly generous staff compensation packages.